WHO KNEW TIMOTHY LEARY’S “TUNE IN…” WOULD BE SUCH A DIFFICULT TASK IN THE NEW MILLENIUM?

It’s not that the latest tweet from Kim Kardashian isn’t totally hilarious— It’s just that, when we actually have time off with our lovers, we don’t always take advantage of it. Yeah, I know what you’re thinking: “This is just a problem for the younger generation.” But actually, addiction to technology streams across all generations. Whether you like it or not, we are an entire world full of voyeurs. Basically, if you have anything that accesses the Internet—you’re most likely a voyeur, too. While Millennials may be quicker moving at it, the issue of addiction to technology is a problem worldwide. Sadly, all of us seem to be having a harder time trying to just “live in the moment.” When author Timothy Leary popularized the sixties counterculture-era phrase: “Turn on, Tune in, Drop out,” it was exactly the opposite it seems of today’s society. “Turn on” meant to open up your mind and its various levels of consciousness (at first was referring to the use of psychedelic drugs). “Tune in” meant to interact harmoniously with all that is around you. And “Drop out” meant to become self-reliant in choice and change. At the time, his words were mistaken as to get high and abandon responsibilities, and he later changed the order to “Tune in, Turn on, and Drop out.” Leary’s suggestion holds definitive weight in today’s more modern world—yet with a bit of a twist. Instead, ask yourself: When was the last time you “turned off”? I mean, really turned off—shut down the computer, put all your devices in another room on “Do Not Disturb” (yes, your smartphone, too), and sat face-to-face with your lover? It’s hard, right? Most couples have a hard time putting life itself on hold to focus on one another—let alone their phone. Even on vacation, thousands of miles away from work and family, people find it hard to live without being connected (not to one another, sadly), but to a device. And even on the most romantically remote tropical islands, couples are finding difficulty in taking in the here and now—like Leary’s advice to “Tune in” and take in all that is around them and engage in the moment. It’s no wonder Viagra and Cialis have been flying off the shelves. It’s not just the middle-aged men—virile, young men are using the drug just as often. Without connecting with your partner, the little blue pill suffices just fine. Perhaps Leary’s “Tune in” is just too difficult for today’s society—maybe an old-fashioned “Love In” is more of what’s necessary to open the hearts, minds and bodies to breathe in, not just the world around us, but the person who’s right there beside us… warm, complex, and full of deeply passionate energy. Give it a try. Step away from your phone for a few moments at a time—until you can truly “unplug”. You just might notice how much more fun it is to spend real, quality time with your lover. You might notice their eyes are more emerald green at sunrise. More than anything, you just might notice how your sexual relationship is increasing in intensity. We have five incredible senses—why not “Tune in” and turn them all on?